Letters to the Baby Lotus Bud: Seven Months

To My Dear Little Lotus Bud,

Dang, baby! It's been a busy month!

We did so much this last month, so much so that's it's going to be hard to recount it all, but I'll give it a try.

The month started with your Daddy going out of town for business. It was just you and me, kiddo, and I think we did great! We did a lot of walking in the morning and the evening. I miss those evening walks because we haven't done much of that since that first week.

There are two reasons why you and I haven't walked in the evening. First, that's the time you usually spend with your Dad. Second, you started eating solid foods which I usually feed you in the evening! Well, I should really say that you have started eating pureed foods. You started with rice cereal, then tried some sweet potatoes. The rice cereal got you constipated so now I've got you eating prunes to keep things moving throughout your body, and oatmeal has replaced the rice cereal. You seem back to your regular pooping self. How come you only poop when I'm around? Huh? I think you have some sort of pact with your Dad.

So, the pureed-food eating seems to be going well except for one minor issue. I took some our CSA carrots and lovingly steamed them and lovingly processed them in the baby food mill, and I lovingly dished them out for you and I swear I thought you would love the carrots! But, you hated them!

Oh, the face that you made was priceless. You hated those carrots and I couldn't even get a good picture because you fussed so much. I think maybe I didn't puree them enough or least I'm hoping that's the problem because I really want you to like our CSA vegetables.

So, here's an example of a busy week for you and me. Tuesday: the Walker Art Center. Wednesday: the Minnesota State Fair. Thursday: yoga.

By the end of the week, I was just as tired as you were in that picture. The Walker outing was great. We went with three other Mommys and Babies. There was Havah, Sylvia and Lyla who's a bit older and watching her showed me what I have to look forward to in about a year. I bet I'll be losing a lot of weight then just chasing you around! We had lunch at a picnic table in the Sculpture Gardens and we tried out our Hooter Hider for the first time.

I had the plan to try it out in public with a few other Mamas so that I could be comfortable using it the next day when we all went to the Minnesota State Fair. It was this time last year that I started coming out of my First Trimester fog. I don't remember much of last July and August, but I do remember going to the State Fair with your Daddy. I remember taking the free shuttle and trying to imagine what it would be like with you and a stroller. It was a surreal experience sitting there on the bus with you in the seat next to me, making our way to the Fair with the stroller stashed in the cargo area.

We went to see the Native Pride Dancers and I pulled you into my lap for the show. Soon, you were standing on my knees and dancing. It was amazing to see you respond in this way to the sound of the drum and the dancers.

Then came the moment when I had to feed you. I pulled out the Hooter Hider and under you went. I was completely surrounded by Fair-goers. I admit I had moment of complete fear when I first put it on. I backed off for a few moments until my heart slowed it's beat to a little closer to the Native drum. Then I tried again. Once you were latched on, I was much more comfortable and very happy that I had decided to to buy a Hooter Hider. Later, your Dad said that he was proud of me and that nearly made me cry. There was a lactation station set up at the Fair but I didn't have to use it. I really hope that more Mamas feel comfortable breast-feeding in public. Things like Hooter Hiders, nursing covers, and lactation stations make it a little easier, but no Mama should feel the need to go off alone somewhere to feed her Baby.

People looked at me a little funny. They had no idea that I had my breast bared to feed you. People had some of the funniest looks on their faces like they were trying to figure out what was behind "the curtain." Then, like a magician, I pulled you out from underneath. Now that was fun!

Anyway, we ate. In particular, I ate lots of carbs. I searched the Fair grounds for non-beef items and completely stayed away from Pronto pups (your Dad had two!), but I was missing that wild-rice burger. Next year, I kept telling myself that next year I will get to eat anything that I want. And, so will you!

So, what else? Let's see...Oh, yes, you kissed your first boy! Yep, that's right, you and Shannon got a little close in yoga class a few weeks ago. You dropped your rattle to hold his hand, then when he reached for the rattle, you grabbed his head and started sucking on his cheek. Oh. My. Goodness. That was the most adorable thing I have ever seen and that's saying something big because you are so dang cute just by your ownself.

REI baby clothes are the best. I go nuts over these so thank goodness there was a huge sale going on. It's been getting cold at the Airstream Retreat in Wisconsin and we've had to figure out ways for you to keep warm. Like putting you in long underwear and a blanket sleeper. This is a lot like me, your mommy. I'm always cold and almost always have long underwear on throughout the Fall and Winter.

I freaked out when you got all bitten up by a spider. Yes, I admit it, I freaked out and thought perhaps you had the chicken pox. I've since come to learn that spider and mosquito bites can take up to 24 hours before swelling up. That accounts for the delayed reaction on your skin and my total freak-out moment. I also remembered that your Granny, my mother, bought a couple of mosquito nettings ten years ago when she was last in India. She brought back ones for a single bed which I can't use for our bed, but they work perfect for you! I set you up with your own Rajkumari bed at the back of the trailer. No more mosquitoes bites.

Just in time for Fall when there will be no mosquitoes. Oh well, we'll be all set up for next year.

The Baby gear just keeps piling up. We're done with the bassinet, the ghodiyo (a Gujarati cradle), the play mat and the swing which are all now stacked and cluttering our porch. I've got get those listed on Craig's List. Now we're moving on to the Activity Center/jumper. What a fiasco that's been. I took you to that great big Baby store and put you into these gadgets and you loved it. There was so much delight in your eyes. I couldn't believe the shine in your smile and eyes while you were playing around. I had to buy one. So, I did. I took it home and your Dad spent two hours putting it together. Turns out it wasn't the one we selected because the display model hadn't been updated to the latest version which had none of the features we liked, such as the keyboard. So, we went back again. The second time around with this endeavour, we ended up grabbing the wrong box and again, only realized until after your Dad had put it together. Third time we got the most expensive one there and so far so good, except that your feet don't touch the ground. Dang. We should have just gotten the Jeep walker which was incredibly cute and of course, both your parents thought you absolutely had to have it, but, alas, we have a small house and so there would be no where for your to walk in the Jeep walker. We're such geeks, aren't we?

With all the busyness of this month, I didn't take many pictures of you. I'm trying to get over the idea that I've got to think of interesting "photo shoots" and just snap lots and lots of pictures. Then, I get overwhelmed thinking about all those shots getting lost on a hard drive. I've got to figure out a way to get them printed in a timely manner. Maybe if I make that promise to you, I'll actually get around to doing it.

We've had the Walker, the State Fair, the Children's Museum, lots of Co-op meetings and several trips to your Granny's to work on sewing a diaper bag. I'm certain I'll have that fully sewn by your tenth year of life.

The month ended with a sad event at which you cheered everyone up. Your Great-Grandpa Ray passed away. He was your Dad's grandfather and he lived to be 94 years old. We all went to the service and everyone was happy to see you, some hadn't had the chance to meet you yet. I love having you at these things because suddenly I get along with everyone so well! The truth is, Baby Girl, sometimes it's hard in this country to be in an inter-racial relationship, but you are proof of the beauty of that! I am certain that these societal issues will seem ancient when you get older.

We took advantage of being dressed up for the service and got some pictures taken.

You've got your Dad's stink eye look and it's hilarious to see this on you!

This last month, you started murmuring "mamamamamama."

I love you, Baby Girl! Thanks for being in my life these last seven months! I can't wait to see what this month will bring.

Comments

I can't believe its taken me nearly a month to comment here. I have you on my reader, so don't miss your postings, but a combination of busy times and a quiet mood have meant I haven't commented as much lately.

It continues to be such a privilege to see how little one's progressing. She really is such a little darling!